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Author's Commentaries for Jurassic Park IV: Extinction
Before I begin, I should probably state why I decided to rewrite this article, the longest story on the wiki. Isn't it fine as it is? Some people would say it remains a classic, but it still bugs me. I wrote this a couple years ago, and I can easily tell that. The writing isn't as developed, it's not as smooth. Everything happens too fast. I don't explain important plot details and I cram too much material into a small space. At least that's how I feel about it, and I also feel I can do much better at this stage of my writing level. Even if you've read the original story, this rewritten version isn't going to be a longer, more detailed clone of the original, not by a long shot. I'm going to do my best to throw in some new plotlines, introduce some new and secretive characters, and explain some of the holes in the movie canon. I will also be rewriting what little I have written of JP5, this movie's sequel, to clear up the rest of the plotlines and bring the series to an epic close. But that's far in the future. So pack your bags, grab your guns, and get ready for a whole new thrill ride. Oh, and Malcolm. Stuck full of morphine. Lots of it. Prologue Monsters in the Mist This opening scene has an air of mystery about it, and is retained from the original version with little changes (excepting the fact that Paul is no longer alone, and therefore has someone to talk to). It also opens up many questions. Nublar was bombed with napalm, so what exactly was he thinking about on the boat? What does (or did) he really know about this place? The ending remains a bit predictable I suppose (it seems that in the opening scene of any Jurassic Park film, somebody has to get eaten), but it still works in my mind. What exactly is it that attacked the boat? (And for those of you who are long-time readers of the original version, keep quiet :) You might not even be right this time around :D) Badlands Ah, the badlands. Alan Grant without the badlands is like Ernie without Bert. I simply had to get him into Alberta again (the setting remains unchanged from the original version); the place is great for paleontology. This part also reveals how old Grant is getting - this scene is almost 10 years after JP3 after all. And Sam Neill is sixty-something anyways. Sooner or later, Grant will have to give the field to the newer generation of paleontologists. But not Richard Levine. He's utterly new to this story, and it was a great opportunity to introduce him. He's not really a mean man per se, just annoying and irritating. I did lift a lot of his personality and radical thinking from the second novel (yes, including that "absence of evidence" line :P), but over time he should develop in his own unique way. For the record, the Annual Ostrom Memorial Paleontological Symposium is something I made up, although I wish it was real. Now, who's this "anonymous patron" fellow? Paradox This is another entirely new scene, although based on the lecture in the previous version. It's Ian Malcolm! And he's talking about extinction in the context of chaos theory! This will be something that plays a part in later chapters. Dallas is also dispensed with, and I've replaced it with the science museum in Houston. If you look up the pictures of the new paleo hall, it's actually really cool-looking in there, I'd highly recommend doing so. By far the most difficult part of this chapter was recreating Malcolm's suave speeches. It's really freaking hard to recreate it, and I'd be honored if people thought that I'd pulled it off. More characters from The Lost World novel appear with Beverly's introduction, Malcolm's secretary. And that darned anonymous patron is back, with a recommendation for table 32 again. I don't know about you, but I smell a meeting.